Aquis welcomes Prost as he heads the roster at $13,200 with Kobayashi

Cover image courtesy of Sharon Lee Chapman

On Tuesday, Queensland-based Aquis Farm unveiled its seven-strong stallion roster and service fees for the 2025 season. The Canungra operation is set to welcome exciting newcomer Prost, who will stand his first season at an introductory fee of $13,200 inc GST.

Joining Prost at the head of the roster is the reliable winner-getter Kobayashi, whose fee has been slightly reduced to $13,200 inc GST from $15,000 inc GST in 2024. Across the board, Aquis has made minor fee reductions to reflect the current market, with the exception of Jonker, who remains unchanged at $12,500 inc GST.

Aquis Director of Sales, Jonathan Davies, outlined the rationale behind the 2025 fees when speaking to The Thoroughbred Report.

“We really feel that we have priced our roster well this season. We want breeders to make a return in the sales ring. There is no hiding at the moment, breeding in this market is tough, so we have reduced all of our fees apart from Jonker."

Davies also went on to say, “We have some really good breeder benefits that we are going to roll out over the next couple of weeks”, so everyone should keep an ear out for that, as Aquis put plans in place to look after their breeders.

Explosive dual Group winning son of Snitzel new to the roster

A $650,000 Magic Millions yearling, Prost brings one of the most dynamic juvenile sprint pedigrees in the Australian Stud Book. He is a three-quarter brother to Golden Slipper winner Shinzo and R. Listed Magic Millions 2YO Classic winner Exhilarates (Snitzel), and is out of a half-sister to Samaready (More Than Ready), the G1 Blue Diamond winner and 2013/14 Champion Female Sprinter.

Trained by Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott, Prost was a class act from the very start.

As a 2-year-old, he scored a dominant victory in the Group 3 Canonbury Stakes, setting a class record and becoming the fastest winner over 1100 metres in the race’s history, eclipsing the times of past stars like Not A Single Doubt and Sebring. At three, Prost underlined his quality with a powerful win in the G2 Stan Fox Stakes (1600 metres) at Randwick, joining an honour roll that includes champions such as Lonhro and General Nediym.

“Prost had unbridled speed. He was Group-placed before Christmas at two, returned to win a major Golden Slipper lead-up in record time, and showed class to win a Group 2 over the Randwick Mile at three,” said Davies.

“I strongly encourage breeders to inspect Prost, his race record and pedigree speak for themselves, but it’s his outstanding physical type that truly sets him apart in his price range.”

Davies went on to comment, “He’s the only Snitzel colt to win a Group race at two, to race on and win a Group race over a mile at three as well.”

“We always like to look for a point of difference with our stallions and he comes from a very current family, Shinzo served over 200 mares at $55,000 in his first year at Coolmore, and Prost is a three-quarter-brother.”

Prost has been competitively priced and will stand his introductory season at a fee of $13,200 (inc GST.)

Kobayashi priced at $13,200

Headlining the Aquis stallion roster this season alongside newcomer Prost is Kobayashi, a son of Champion sire I Am Invincible. He will stand the 2025 season at a slightly reduced fee of $13,200 inc GST.

Kobayashi has proven himself to be a reliable source of precocious speed, having already sired 67 winners from only 106 runners, an impressive strike rate. Among his progeny is the talented filly Mishani Lily, she has been a six-time winner who captured the Listed Dalrello Stakes, and he is also the sire of three other individual Group placegetters.

Importantly, these achievements have come despite modest opportunities.

“He has done it the hard way,” said Davies. “In the last two years he has had a dramatic increase in numbers, and in the quality of mares he has served. He has done the hard work off a $4000 service fee.”

Davies believes the upward trajectory is set to continue.

“He is poised to keep climbing the ladder. He is a very easy horse to breed to and is a great option for breeders at all levels.”

With a proven ability to deliver winners from limited chances, Kobayashi shapes as a value sire who is ready to take the next step as stronger books of mares begin to bear fruit.

Blame's Officiating served 111 mares in 2024

Officiating (USA), who last year became the first son of Blame (USA) to stand on Australian shores, is set to stand his second season after a promising debut season at stud, having served 111 mares.

Blame was an outstanding racehorse, best remembered for denying champion mare Zenyatta (USA) (Street Cry {Ire}) a perfect farewell in the G1 Breeders’ Cup Classic. His class has carried through to his stallion career, siring 51 stakes winners worldwide, including six Group 1 winners. He is also the damsire of Switzerland, winner of the G1 Coolmore Stud Stakes, who will stand his first book at Coolmore Stud this spring.

Officiating is one of Blame’s 51 stakes winners, having claimed the G3 Tom Fool Handicap, G3 Mr. Prospector Stakes, G3 Cornhusker Handicap, and the Listed Bear’s Den Stakes.

“Officiating was well supported by his shareholders and they will continue to do so also, he has let down very well, he is a powerful, very masculine stallion.”

As well as being impressed by Officiating, Davies is encouraged by the ongoing performance of Officiating’s sire.

“Blame is doing a great job at stud,” Davies said. “His sire sons are also showing plenty of promise, with Nadal and Far From Over both being very successful.”

He also touched on how today’s breeders are more knowledgeable than ever when it comes to international bloodlines.

“The international breeding world is a very small one. With publications like yourselves (TTR AusNZ) and the internet, there is so much information out there. Breeders’ knowledge bases are enormous and they are very well-informed.”

Officiating comes from a high-quality family. His dam, Come A Callin (USA) (Dixie Union {USA}), was a juvenile winner and is a half-sister to the brilliant juvenile Citizen Advocate (USA) (Proud Citizen {USA}), a multiple Listed winner. She is also the dam of Crimson Advocate (USA) (Nyquist {USA}), who won the G2 Queen Mary Stakes at Royal Ascot.

Officiating will stand the 2025 season at a reduced fee of $8800 inc GST, down from $12,500 inc GST in 2024.

The Group 1 sprinting pair: Jonker and Stronger

Jonker, the Group 1-winning son of Queensland’s outstanding stallion Spirit Of Boom, will stand the 2025 season at an unchanged fee of $12,500 inc GST.

A versatile and tough performer, Jonker made an early mark as a juvenile by winning the Max Lees 2YO Classic at Newcastle and the Listed Wyong Magic Millions 2YO Classic. Remarkably, he trained on to win the G1 Manikato Stakes as a 6-year-old and also placed in the G1 Kingsford-Smith Cup and G1 The Galaxy.

“Jonker was a tough horse that was a sharp 2-year-old that trained on and won a Group 1 race as a 6-year-old, and he has had some great results at the sales.” Davies said

“Jonker is an exciting horse. He had a great result at Magic Millions with his filly out of Cafe Rizu selling for $300,000 to Suman Hedge and Ciaron Maher.

“They have gone to good stables, and he was a smart juvenile himself, so he is exciting and will get this chance.”

Davies is also enthusiastic about Stronger, a son of Not A Single Doubt and a Group 1 winner in Hong Kong, who brings international flair and commercial upside to the roster.

Davies commented, “The team were excited to see one of his weanlings sell for $62,500, which was a great return on investment.

“He was purchased to go to Hong Kong and that opens up an opportunity, market-wise. He was a Group 1 winner in Hong Kong and I’m sure he will be popular to that market as yearlings.

“People may purchase directly to go there, or buyers might look to buy them as yearlings and trade indirectly from a trial or a breeze-up sale.

“He is exciting, and his stock have impressed us.”

Lean Mean Machine and Glenfiddich other options at Aquis

Zoustar’s Group 1-placed son Lean Mean Machine, a dual Group 2 winner, will stand the 2025 season at $8800 inc GST.

Lean Mean Machine has already sired 44 individual winners, including stakes winner Material Dreams, who captured the Listed Nitschke Stakes. His fee has been adjusted this season to $8800 inc GST to reflect market conditions and encourage further support.

“He is a good sire of winners, and has had some race without luck in stakes company recently,” Davies commented.

Also offering value is Glenfiddich, a Group 2-winning and Group 1-placed son of Fastnet Rock, who will stand for a reduced fee of $4400 inc GST. Though Glenfiddich is yet to have runners, interest in his progeny is already evident.

“He has had a colt sell for $170,000 at Magic Millions that Kelly Schweida purchased, and interestingly Peter Moody, who trained Glenfiddich, was the underbidder." Davies said.

“He has been supported well and has a base to work off. He provides an attractive option at a low fee.”

Table: 2025 stallion roster at Aquis Farm